Agile

What is Agile Methodology?

Agile

Agile is a methodology in project management and software development that involves teams that work in short cycles, fix problems, and add new features as the project progresses.

Definition

Daniel Wirtz

Co-Founder, Facilitator School

Last updated

June 14, 2024

Agile is a concept that embraces a flexible approach to project management and development, particularly within the software industry. The core idea behind Agile is to break down projects into manageable units, which allows teams to tackle small sections at a time. This method promotes frequent reassessment and adaptation of plans, which is ideal for projects where requirements evolve as the development progresses.

By dividing the project into cycles or iterations, each typically lasting a few weeks, teams are able to focus on producing a working piece of software at the end of each cycle. This iterative process encourages teams to prioritize tasks, adapt to changes quickly, and constantly improve their output. Stakeholder and customer feedback is integrated regularly, ensuring that the final product closely meets their needs and expectations.

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Agile

What are the 4 pillars of Agile?

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The four pillars of Agile are:

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Working software over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Responding to change over following a plan.

These principles emphasize the importance of flexibility, team collaboration, and customer feedback in the development process.

What are the 12 principles of Agile?

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The 12 principles of Agile are:

Customer Satisfaction: Deliver valuable software early and continuously to ensure customer satisfaction.
Welcome Changes: Always embrace changes in requirements, even late in development.
Frequent Delivery: Deliver working software frequently, with a preference for a shorter timescale.
Daily Collaboration: Business stakeholders and developers should work together daily.
Supportive Environment: Create an environment that motivates individuals and trust them to get the job done.
Face-to-face Communication: Encourage face-to-face conversation as the best means of communication.
Working Software: Use working software as the primary measure of progress.
Sustainable Development: Maintain a sustainable pace of work for everyone involved.
Technical Excellence: Continuously strive for technical excellence and good design.
Simplicity: Embrace simplicity by minimizing unnecessary work.
Self-Organizing Teams: Encourage the best architectures, requirements, and designs to emerge from self-organizing teams.
Regular Reflection and Adjustment: Reflect on how to become more effective and adjust accordingly.

When should you use Agile methodology?

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Agile methodology should be used when a project involves complex issues, requires flexibility, or needs to adapt to changes quickly. It's particularly useful in environments where customer needs are continually evolving or not fully defined at the project's onset. Agile allows teams to iterate on their work and refine the end product continuously.

What are the benefits and disadvantages of the Agile development methodology?

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The benefits of Agile include improved product quality, faster response to changes, increased project control, and higher customer satisfaction. However, it can also present challenges such as the need for cultural change, the possibility of scope creep, and the dependency on customer interaction and open communication.